Combined radiotherapy ultrasound device

Abstract

In order to minimize radiation directed to a region outside of a target volume of a patient during a radiation therapy and minimize the cost of an image-guided particle therapy system, the particle therapy system includes an ultrasound device having at least one ultrasound transducer positioned abutting or adjacent to an external surface of the patient. The ultrasound device and thus the ultrasound transducer are positioned outside of a beam path of a particle beam between a radiotherapy device generating the particle beam, and the target volume. The ultrasound device is operable to generate data representing the target volume and/or a region outside of the target region while the radiotherapy device directs the particle beam to the target volume. The particle therapy system includes a processor operable to control the radiotherapy device based on a comparison between the generated data representing the target volume and a predetermined treatment plan.

1 . A system for irradiating a target volume with a radiation or particle beam, the system comprising:
 a radiotherapy device operable to irradiate the target volume with the radiation or particle beam;   an ultrasound device comprising an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound device being operable to generate ultrasound data representing at least part of the target volume, the ultrasound transducer being positioned adjacent to the target volume;   a memory configured to store a treatment plan for irradiating the target volume with the radiation or particle beam; and   a processor operatively connected to the radiotherapy device, the ultrasound transducer, and the memory, the processor being configured to:
 generate image data corresponding to the at least part of the target volume based on the generated ultrasound data; and 
 control the radiotherapy device based on the generated image data and the stored treatment plan. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiotherapy device is a linear accelerator (LINAC), a Cobalt-based radiation therapy or radiation surgery system, or a particle therapy system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT), a piezoelectric transducer, a composite-based transducer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the target volume is a tumor in a patient, and
 wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned on or adjacent to an external surface of the patient, outside of a path of the radiation or particle beam.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the ultrasound device comprises a support structure, the support structure being positionable on or adjacent to the external surface of the patient, and
 wherein the ultrasound transducer is supported by the support structure.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the ultrasound device comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the plurality of ultrasound transducers including the ultrasound transducer and being supported by the support structure, the support structure being disposed at least partially around part of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of ultrasound transducers are positioned on the support structure and the support structure is positionable on the patient, such that the plurality of ultrasound transducers at least partially surround the treatment beam when the treatment beam irradiates the target volume with the radiation or particle beam. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of ultrasound transducers is a first plurality of ultrasound transducers, and the support structure is a first support structure,
 wherein the system further comprises:
 a second support structure, the second support structure being disposed at least partially around the part or another part of the patient; and 
 a second plurality of ultrasound transducers, the second plurality of ultrasound transducers being supported by the second support structure, and 
   wherein the first support structure and the second support structure are positioned on or adjacent to the external surface of the patient on opposite sides of the treatment beam.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first support structure is a first belt that supports the first plurality of ultrasound transducers, and the second support structure is a second belt that supports the second plurality of ultrasound transducers. 
     
     
         10 . A method of correcting for target volume motion for an irradiation of a target volume of a patient with a radiation or particle beam, the method comprising:
 positioning a support structure on or adjacent to an external surface of the patient, the support structure supporting an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound transducer being outside of a beam path of the radiation or particle beam from a radiotherapy device to the target volume;   generating image data representing at least part of the target volume using the ultrasound transducer;   irradiating the target volume with the radiotherapy device;   controlling the irradiation of the target volume based on the generated image data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling comprises turning the radiation or particle beam on and off based on a comparison of the generated image data and a predetermined treatment plan. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling comprises adjusting a predetermined treatment plan based on a comparison of the generated image data and the predetermined treatment plan. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling comprises shaping, steering, or shaping and steering the radiation or particle beam based on the generated image data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound device is a first ultrasound device of a plurality of ultrasound devices supported by the support structure. 
     
     
         15 . In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to correct for motion of a target volume during a radiation therapy with a radiation or particle beam, the instructions comprising:
 receiving data representing at least part of the target volume from an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound transducer being outside of a beam path of the radiation or particle beam from a radiotherapy device to the target volume; and   controlling irradiation of the target volume, the controlling comprising turning the radiation or particle beam on and off, moving the radiation or particle beam, changing a shape of the radiation or particle beam, or a combination thereof based on the data.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a predetermined treatment plan, wherein the predetermined treatment plan comprises three-dimensional (3D) image data representing the target volume, data representing one or more gantry angles of the radiotherapy device, at which the radiotherapy device irradiates the target volume, one or more shapes of a collimator of the radiotherapy device at the one or more gantry angles, the collimator shaping the radiation or particle beam, one or more intensities of the radiation or particle beam, or a combination thereof; and   comparing the received data to the received treatment plan;   wherein controlling comprises controlling based on the comparing.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein receiving data representing at least part of the target volume comprises receiving three-dimensional (3D) image data representing at least the part of the target volume from the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein receiving data representing at least part of the target volume from the ultrasound transducer comprises receiving data representing at least part of the target volume at a plurality of time points. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the controlling comprises turning the radiation or particle beam off when the target volume is outside of a field of view of the radiotherapy device and turning the radiation or particle beam on when the target volume is inside the field of view of the radiotherapy device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the controlling comprises moving the particle beam to track the target volume when the target volume is inside of the field of view of the radiation therapy device.